Electric pencil sharpener



Dec. 19, 1939. K, R, BLAKE 2,184,176

ELECTRIC PENCIL SHARPENER Filed Aug. 25, 1957 BY /fezzzzezz Elfje.

i EXW d tially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Patented Dec. 19, 19.39

ELEC'IRIC PENCIL SHARPENEE Kenneth R. Blake, Detroit, Mich., assignor of `sixty per cent cent to Fred to Earl W. Parrish, and forty per D. Healy, both of Detroit, Mich.

Application August 26, 1937, Serial No. 161,097

5' claims.

This invention relates to Sharpener constructions, and particularly relates to improved electrically operated pencil Sharpener constructions.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved pencil sharpener structure which properly and efficiently sharpens the end of the pencil and which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

` Another object of the present invention is to provide a motor driven pencil Sharpener having gearing associated therewith in which the gear` ing lis effectively sealed against the inclusion of dust, shavings, dirt, or the like, from the sharpening elements.

A further object is to provide an improved arrangement of the gears which form the operating mechanism for the Sharpener elements by which an efcient and effective pencil Sharpener structure is provided.

A further object is to provide an improved structure by which bulbing of the tip of the pencil being sharpened is prevented.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent form the following specification, the drawing relating thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional View of a pencil Sharpener structure embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substan- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view with parts broken away of the structure illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, and referring particularly to Figs. l to 3, a casing I6 having a top portion i8 with diametrically opposed up- Standing supporting lugs 2U and 22 is provided. The casing l5 also has an upstanding centrally disposed bearing portion 2A having an opening 2t therethrough, which receives a bearing sleeve 2t. The outer surface of the bearing portion 24 is provided withJ an annular shoulder 3|] for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The bearing 28 receives therethrough an armature shaft 32 of an electric motor 34. The electric motor 3A is mounted within the ca sing l5 under the top portion I8 and is suitably secured to the casing. A fan element 35 is suit- (Cl. 1Z0-96) ably connected to the armature shaft 32 for rotation therewith for the purpose of cooling the motor 34.

A driving pinion 36 is fixed to the upper end of the armature Shaft 32 for rotation therewith. Diametrically opposed driven gears 38 and 40 are mounted on shaft members 42 and 44, respectively, in mesh with the driving pinion 36. An internal gear 46 is mounted on the annular shoulders 30 of the upstanding bearing portion 24 of the casing I6, and is xed relative to the casing IB by peening out the upper edge of the upstanding bearing portion 24 as indicated at 48. The internal gear 46 is so constructed and arranged as to be in mesh with the driven gears 38 and 40. Sharpener or cutting elements 50 and 52 are secured to the upper ends of the shafts 42 and 44, respectively, for rotation therewith. The sharpening elements 5U and 52 are preferably conical in shape, and have spiral cutting edges 54 formed on the outer surfaces thereof. There are preferably no less than eight nor more than ten cutting edges per inch with the spiral angle of the cutting edges less than 45 for a 15 inclination angle of taper on` a pencil to be sharpened. A

The Sharpener elements 50 and 52 are journaled at their upper ends in a substantially U-shaped frame member 56 which has its lower ends secured to a partitioning member 58. The partitioning member 581s suitably secured to the top edge of an annular housing member 60. The housing member 60 cooperates with the partitioning member 58 and is of such aconstruction that the gears 36, 38, 40, and 46 are housed therein and sealed against the entrance of foreign .material such as shavings, dust, dirt, or the like, from the sharpening elements.

The shafts Q2 and 44 are journaled in openings in the partitioning member 58; and washers 62 and 64 are received over the shafts 42 and A4, respectively. The washers .62 and 64 bear against the top surface of the partitioning member 58, and also bear against the under surfaces of their respective Sharpener elements 50 and 52. In order to' prevent bulbing of the point of the pencil being sharpened, the washer 64 is of greater diameter than the washer 62 and is so constructed and arranged that it-extends from under its sharpening element 52 to a position under the lower elge of the Sharpener element 50 inside the periphery thereof.

In order to further seal the gears from the inclusion of foreign material the housing member is provided with two annular bearing portions 8| and 83, the bearing portion 8| bearing against the outer surface of the upstanding bearing portion 24 of the casing I8, and the bearing portion 83 bearing against thetop surface of the top portion I8 of the casing I l,

A4 U-shaped supporting member 48 of channel section is securedA to the lugs 28 anda22 of the casing I8 and extends upwardly above the vframe 56 of the Sharpener element. 'I'he memv ber 86 is provided with an opening 88 therethrough which receives and supports a tubular pencil re'ivingguide member 18. A plate'member l2 is supported on the top surface of the member 88 and has an opening therethrough which embraces the member 18. A cover 14 cooperates with the plate member l2 and forms a housing within which an automatic switch 18 is mounted. The switch 'I8 includes a plate-like contact member 18 which is secured by an insulating bracket 80 to the member 12. Another plate-like contact member 82 is fixed to a similar insulating bracket 88. An inwardly projecting feeler 84 -of a suitable insulating material extends through an opening 88 in the receiving member l0 in the path of the pencil inserted in the guideway formed by the member. 10. Upon insertion of a pencil in the guideway the feeler 84 is forced outwardly making contact between the contact elements 18 and 82 completing the electric circuit in a manner to be described.

Lead wires 85 and 81 are electrically connected to the `contact members 18 and 82, respectively, extend downwardly through openings in the members 12 and 88, are held within the channel formed by the member 65 Aand extended downwardly ,through an opening in the casing member I6. The lead wires 85 and 81 arethere suitably connected with the lead wires generally indicated at 88 providing thel electric circuit for the motor 34.

Upon insertion of a pencil in the guidway 10, the circuit through the contact members 18 and 82 is completed thus completing the motor circuit and causing operation o f the armature shaft 32. This causes rotation of, the driving pinion 38 which in turn causes rotation of the driven gears 38 and 40 thus rotating the sharpening elements 50 and 52 about their respective axes. As the gears 38 and 40 are in mesh with the fixed internal gear 48 the sharpening elements 50 and 52 with the frame member 58 plusV the housing formed by the partitioning member 58 and the annular member 80 are all caused to rotate about a substantially central longitudinal axis.

A cover 90 may be provided which is supported upon an annular shoulder 92 on the casing I6 for enclosing the operating and sharpening structure.

Referring to Fig. 4, a modified structure is illustrated in which a single sharpening element 50 is provided which cooperates with an idle blank element 94 to sharpen a pencil inserted in the guideway 10. In this embodiment the driven gear 40 as described above may be dispensed with and the idle blank 94 be permitted to rotate with the shaft 44. 'I'he sharpening element 50 serves to properly position and guide the pencil being sharpened to eliminate stalling which would result in the absence of the idle blank 94.

Formal changes may be made in the speciiic embodiment of the -invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

'of said sharpener elements What is claimed is:

1. In a pencil sharpener, a casing, a motor mounted within said casing, said motor having an armature shaft extending outwardly of said casing; a driving gear secured to the outwardly extending end of said armature shaft for rotation therewith, said driving gear meshing with oppositely disposed driven gears, a shaft fixed to each of said driven gears for rotation therewith, a sharpener element xed to each of said driven gear shafts for rotation therewith, an internal gear meshing with said-driven gears and fixed relative to said casing, a plate member serving to journal said driven gear shafts, and an annular member cooperating with said plate member to form a housing which serves to seal said gears against the entrance of dirt from said Sharpener element. l

2. In apencil sharpener, a casing, 'a motor mounted within said casing, said motor having an armature shaft extending outwardly of saidcasing, a driving gear secured to the outwardly extending end of said armature shaft for rotation therewith, said driving gear meshing with oppositely disposed driven gears, a shaft fixed to each of said driven gears for rotation therewith, Sharpener elements each fixed at one of its ends to one of said driven gear shafts for rotation therewith, an internal gear meshing with said driven gears and xed relative to said casing, a supporting frame member having the other ends journaled therein, said frame member being connected to a lower annular member bearing against said casing and being rotatable relative thereto, a plate member fixed to said frame member serving to journal said driven gear shafts, the construction and arrangement of said plate member relative to the annular member and to said gears being such as to enclose and seal said gears against the entrance of dirt from said Sharpener element. Y l

3. In a pencil Sharpener, a casing having an outwardly directed bearing portion, a motor mounted within said casing, said motor having an armature shaft extending outwardly of said casing through said bearing portion, a driving gear secured to the outwardly extending end of said armature shaft for rotation therewith, said driving gear meshing with oppositely disposed driven gears, a shaft fixed to each of said driven gears for rotation therewith, a Sharpener element fixed to each of said driven gear shafts for rotation therewith, an internal gear meshing with said driven gear and xed relative to said casing, and a housing member enclosing said gears and sealing said gears from the entrance of dirt from said Sharpener elements, said housing member having an annular bearing portion engaging the outer surface of said upstanding bearing portion and having another annular bearing portion engaging said casing.

4. In a pencil Sharpener, a casing, a motor mounted within said casing, said motor having an armature shaft extending outwardly of said casing, a driving gear secured to the outwardly extending end of said armature shaft for rotation therewith, said driving gear meshing with oppositely disposed driven gears, a shaft i'lxed to each of said driven gears for rotation therewith, a sharpener element fixed to each of said driven gear shafts for rotation therewith, an internal gear meshing with said driven gears and xed relative to said casing, and annular members mounted adjacent the bases of said Sharpener elements, one of said annular members being of greater diameter than the other annular member and extending under both o! said sharpener v elements.

5. In a pencil Sharpener, a pair of rotatable 5, Sharpener elements, a supporting means for said elementsLmeans for rotating said elements, an-

nular members mounted adjacent the bases of said Sharpenerl elements, one of said annular members being of greater diameter than the other annular member and extending under both of said Sharpener elements.

KENNETH R. BLAU. 

